Ingredients

1/2 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, cut into thin rounds

12 ounces lean ground beef

1/2 cup dried cherries, finely chopped

1/2 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs, (see Note)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 whole-wheat English muffins, split

4 lettuce leaves

1/4 cup Cherry Ketchup, (recipe follows)

Cooking Directions

Step 1

Place onion in a medium bowl, cover with ice water and let soak while you prepare burgers.

Step 2

Preheat grill to medium (see Broiler Variation).

Step 3

Place beef in a large bowl and gently mix in cherries, breadcrumbs, garlic, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until combined. Divide into 4 equal portions and form into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Make a slight impression in the center of each. (This is so the patties cook evenly and don’t puff up.)

Step 4

Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°F, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Step 5

Toast English muffins. Drain the onions. Assemble the burgers on the English muffins with onion slices, lettuce and about 1 tablespoon Cherry Ketchup each.
Broiler variation: Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. Broil patties 3 to 4 inches from the heat source until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°F, 4 to 5 minutes per side.